Flame of Shigeo?
by Shadow of a Smile
Summary: When Kagero gets captured, Team Hokage has to go save her! Wait... Recca's dad is coming along? Mikagami's point of view.
1. Chapter 1: Message

Disclaimer: I do not, of course, own Flame of Recca, nor do I own any of the characters.

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Chapter 1: Message

"Mi-chan?" An overly-happy voice came over the phone. Fuuko. Of course.

"You have no idea what time it is, do you," was my answer.

"It is you! Good! I got the wrong number first, and there was some old lady, and…"

"Why are you calling?" I interrupted. That idiotic she-monkey wasn't getting it through her head that it was _four o'clock_ _in the morning_.

"… so I asked if you were there, and she said she didn't know who 'Mi-chan' was, and even if she did, that I shouldn't be calling at this time of day…"

"You shouldn't be," I interjected, knowing full well that I wasn't going to be heard. That girl was absorbed in her own little world. A world that didn't include interruptions. Or, apparently, sleep.

"… and after I corrected her and made sure she knew you _weren't_ my boyfriend, I hung up, and then I called you!" She finished, sounding proud of herself. Did she want congratulations that she realized I wasn't an elderly lady? Perhaps she wanted to be applauded for the fact that she had gotten my number correct on the second try. It _was_ rather amazing… I knew of the old adage, "monkeys slamming their hands on a keyboard could eventually write Shakespeare," but using a phone book? I would have thought it was beyond her.

"So why_ are_ you calling, precisely?" I asked again, hoping for an answer now that she had finally stopped chattering about the old woman she had called earlier. "I'm giving you five seconds to hold my interest. Five…"

"You're not seriously going to do that, are you, Mi-chan?"

"Four…"

"MI-CHAN! That's so mean! I can't believe you actually…"

"Three…two… one." With that, I promptly hung up the phone. She woke me up at four o'clock in the morning to inform me that she had called the wrong number? How foolish. Seconds after I hung up, the phone began to ring once more. I sighed. Fuuko again, no doubt. As the message machine finally picked up her call, I was fully expecting a blast of sound to emanate from the speakers, so I lowered the volume on the machine, hoping to keep my eardrums intact for the time being. Even at the lowest volume setting, her tirade was rather impressive.

"MIII-CHAAAAN! You better pick up this phone! Kagero-san has been captured, and we need your help! We think we know where she is, and I bet it's guarded by Uruha, and Kurei, and all sorts of nasty people! So we _neeeed_ you, Mi-chan!..."

I had heard enough. While it was against my better judgment to do _anything_ that the she-monkey told me, I respected Kagero. She was one of the few I had met recently that actually seemed to have some semblance of intelligence. It was hard to believe that she was actually related to Recca.

So, I got dressed, hearing Fuuko screaming on my message machine all the while (she had probably gone through at least a fifteen-minute rant at this point) and walked over to the Hanabishi household. I only had a vague knowledge of where it was, but that would serve me well enough. And I had no doubt that this was where they were gathered.

As I arrived, I witnessed a rather strange scene… combine fireworks, a chain-smoker that could only be Recca's adoptive father, and all of my teammates from the Ura Buto Satsujin (including Ganko, who really shouldn't have been up at this hour…), and this was the scene in front of me. And, of course, Fuuko was _still_ pouring her heart and soul into threats on my answering machine… until she noticed me, that is.

"Mi-chan! You did come!" She exclaimed, bounding over and tossing the Hanabishi's phone on the ground. I side-stepped an attempted hug and instead addressed the general assembly.

"So, do you have any idea what we are going to do yet?" I asked, fully expecting a negative answer. Something as sophisticated as a plan probably hadn't dawned on the ape congregation yet.

"Well… not really," Fuuko said. I barely held back a sigh, and instead ran a hand through my hair. Primary lesson when dealing with Team Hokage: when you feel like strangling one (or all) of them, instead ignore them and concentrate on your hair. It's worked so far.

"That's why we invited you!" Ganko said excitedly through her stuffed fox, Kondo. "Because you're the one that can actually think at four in the morning!"

"I'm the only one who can think at all," I stated. "And even _I_ struggle to maintain brain function when awoken at four o'clock by a rabid monkey."

"Would you stop calling me a monkey?!" Fuuko demanded, wearing an angry expression that I recognized all too well. She started into an anger-provoked attack, only to be held back by Domon… though he, too, appeared angry for my insult to his darling Fuuko.

"He may be able to help us… if you hit him too hard, he may not be able to think anymore, Fuuko!" Domon was exclaiming, as the she-monkey struggled in his hold.

"Yes, that's true. If I'm hit too many times in the head, I might end up like you, Domon," I stated. Koganei, who had (until now) been sleeping in a corner, let out a loud laugh at that remark. However, the gorilla simply looked confused, and I decided to actually try to forward the mission I had been woken up for (also, I had visions of Domon releasing Fuuko when he finally figured out my insult. I would have been safe for at least five minutes, but still…), so I interrupted any more conversation the fools were starting with, "So where _is_ Kagero-san, anyways?"

"She's in this big, scary castle," Ganko said seriously. "It's like… she's a princess, waiting for her knight in shining armor." And, right after this, three people spoke simultaneously.

"This has got to be a joke," was my contribution.

"I know what you're going to say, Mikagami, this is really serious!" Recca exclaimed, far too loudly for four o'clock in the morning.

And, finally, from the furthest corner, came "Of course she's waiting for her knight in shining armor! And he will come!" Having thus spoken, the man that I had previously labeled as Recca's adoptive father stood with handfuls of fireworks, a cigarette still in his mouth. I instantly knew that my assumption of his identity was correct. The same idiocy radiated from the son as the father. The man continued, "And I will save Kagero-san, even if I have to fight a million men!" He brandished the fireworks like he was about to ignite them, and I mentally cringed. One idiot like Recca was bad enough. Two would be nearly unbearable…

"I told you to stop smoking around the fireworks!" Recca announced to the man. The father quickly quickly dealt out a kick in his adoptive son's face, and I had to disguise a laugh as a cough. Ah, how I suffer for the sake of being polite.

And Domon, apparently, had finally figured out my insult. The look of general idiocy on his face was replaced by one of dawning comprehension, then he sunk back into confusion, releasing Fuuko in the process (luckily, she had been calm for some time now… he probably just didn't want to let go of her). My best guess was that he was trying to work out an insult to return. I wasn't expecting anything like my own sarcastic mastery.

I sighed again, before adding to the conversation with, "So how far away has Kagero-san been taken? It wouldn't be conveniently close, like Kurei's mansion,  
I suppose?"

"No, it's pretty far away," Recca said. "But Dad can drive."

I glanced doubtfully towards the man in the corner, who was happily examining fireworks with the air of one looking through prized jewels. "I get in a car with him behind the wheel," I stated blandly, "when I start dating the she-monkey."

"I am not a she-monkey!" Fuuko exploded, rushing towards me. As Domon was still wrapping his head around a retort to my insult, she was unchecked in her attempt to deal me bodily harm (obviously, Recca wasn't about to complain). I sidestepped, and would have spent the next few minutes dodging her if Domon hadn't finally thought up a comeback.

"Well… at least I don't look like a girl!" He exclaimed, obviously considering this an amazing insult.

"Oh, like I haven't heard _that_ before," I muttered, dodging a punch of Fuuko's and sending a blank stare Domon's direction.

Fuuko temporarily paused in her attack, looking at me with what I assumed was a thoughtful expression on her face. "You do look like more of a girl than usual, Mi-chan," she stated, with all the delicacy of a blunt knife. "You look like Yanagi with your hair down."

"I look like _Yanagi-san_?" I didn't even know what to make of that comment. It wasn't an insult, per say, but… still. I suppose I could have avoided this whole strange situation by remembering to pull my hair back. Ah, well.

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_Author's Note:_ As a newbie to this community, as well as fanfiction in general, I would greatly appreciate any reviews or advice you could give me. Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2: Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not, of course, own Flame of Recca, nor do I own any of the characters.

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Chapter 2: Arrival

I was walking. Of course, everyone else was in Shigeo's car, but after giving me rather cursory and unsatisfactory directions, Recca and his adoptive father had herded the group into car. I refused, naturally, not wanting to end my life prematurely, and Shigeo declared that he'd "meet me there, having already rescued Kagero-san." _Of course_ he would. Being the only one besides Kagero herself with a decent head on their shoulders, they'd probably be waiting outside the previously mentioned big, evil castle with a collective clueless look on their faces, waiting for me.

And, of course, my prediction didn't fail me.

As I walked up to the castle, Fuuko immediately shrieked, "Where have you been, Mi-chan? We've been waiting here for at least a half hour!" My only response was a sigh. Huh. I was far later than they were? Perhaps because I was _walking_. Go figure.

"So where's the entrance, Mikagami?" Recca demanded.

"Ah. That's what's stumped you fools," I replied. "Give me a few seconds, would you? I've barely looked at the place." I gave the building a cursory glance, and, from what I could see, it looked like something out of a bad magical-girl anime. I was just waiting for the big bad demon to come out and attack. I suppose then Fuuko would magically morph into a sailor suit thanks to an overly long transformation sequence... I could barely repress a shudder at that thought.

However, if my hunch was correct, and this castle was build perfectly according to "bad-anime" standards, the entrance would be hidden under the nearest bush. All I could see was a single, straggly, out-of-place bush growing snug against the stones of the castle. "This is so foolish," I sighed, and made my way over to it.

As I approached, I could even see planks of wood behind the scant leaves of the plant. Easily uprooting the sad excuse for a bush (it wasn't even real) I prodded the trapdoor with one foot, then shook my head, walking towards the rest of the group with what, I'm sure, was a patiently annoyed look on my face.

"Did you find it?" Fuuko asked as I returned. Tossing the bush neatly onto Recca's head, I nodded.

"But what, if I may make so bold as to inquire, were you fools doing while you were waiting for me?" I asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance in my voice. If they had looked in the least bit for a hidden door, even _they_ should have been able to find it.

"Well, Domon brought some food, and we had a picnic!" Fuuko answered happily. Of course Domon had brought food. And, undoubtedly, he had eaten everything, so I wouldn't even get a breakfast out of being awoken at four o'clock in the morning.

Meanwhile, Recca had finally removed the bush from his head, and was now frantically trying to get the dirt out of his hair... not that it would improve his appearance, or anything. Perhaps he just wanted to attempt to look normal when he was rescuing his mother.

"Let's just go," I sighed. Leading the way to the trapdoor, I motioned towards the ring to open it, assuming someone in the group would pull it open. I would have noted the old "age before beauty" adage, but I was the keeper of both age and beauty in this motley assortment of... wait. Or... perhaps I wasn't. It seemed Shigeo, with fireworks in hand and a lighter tucked into his waistband, had tagged along as well. (As a note, he got age, _not_ beauty.) And he was going to do _what_, exactly? Besides being another idiot for me to protect, of course, probably nothing.

However, we were, at least, moving forward with rescuing Kagero. Recca had done about the only useful thing of his life and opened the door, and a set of stairs descended into the darkness and out of sight. What had I said? Stereotypical bad-anime castle? Definitely.

Domon was whimpering behind me. "I don't like the dark," he said, then immediately attached himself to Fuuko, who was walking beside me. "Hold me, Fuuko!"

The sound of a slap echoed through the stairway. Domon was whining yet again, but for a different reason. From the sound of Fuuko's hand hitting his face, I'm sure one whole side of his face was raw. That boy _was_ a strange one for upholding his passion for the she-monkey through that kind of abuse.

Finally, the narrow staircase leveled and widened, becoming a wide room lit by lanterns. I glanced around, and saw nothing but empty beer bottles and cigarettes. It looked like we were back in the Hanabishi household. Just ignore the puddles of rainwater that had gathered, and I would expect to see Ganko waiting for everyone to return around the next bend.

Recca shrugged, then declared, "Well, let's go!" as he walked to the door across the room. Of course, after Fuuko had ranted about the supposed dangers of this house for several minutes on end on my message machine, Recca would just walk across the room without a care in the world. He hadn't even thought of the myriad of traps that could be awaiting him.

However, he passed through the door utterly unhampered. I stared rather blankly at Recca's retreating back. What? Wasn't this supposed to be guarded by who-knew-how-many Uruha? And we haven't even been stopped yet? I snuck a sidelong glance at Koganei, whose traps had apparently nearly mauled Fuuko, Domon, and Recca (not that ridding the world of all three of them would be a bad thing). However, he seemed either to find nothing wrong with the situation, or to be purposefully ignoring it... my guess was the latter.

I heard Recca cry out ahead of me, and, unfortunately, my sense of honor overcame my reluctance to help the idiot. I bent down to one of the puddles, dipping Ensui in and forming the 

sword. Not as much water as I would have liked, but... I had to make do. Leaving the others to make their own pace (Fuuko was slightly ahead of me, not needing to gather anything to be able to use her Fujin, Koganei was with Fuuko, and Domon, obviously, was lumbering behind me... and it should also be rather obvious where Shigeo was) I dashed around the corner to find Fuuko stomping on Recca's prone form, shrieking, "You idiot! You made me worry, and it was just because you ran into a spiderweb?! Idiot!"

Koganei was standing off to the side, looking slightly amused, while I suddenly felt like leaving. This was completely and utterly foolish. "Why do I even bother," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I just had to remember that this was for Kagero.

"Right. Let's go, then," I sighed, passing Fuuko and a collapsed, twitching Recca. It was the duty of the most intelligent person to take charge when the idiot failed to produce results. The hallway took a sudden turn to the right, and I held a hand straight out, stopping everyone but Shigeo, who nearly ran into my arm before he was pulled back by Koganei. If there was a group of people waiting in an ambush, the most logical place to stage one would be around this corner. Slowly, cautiously, I rounded the bend…

_Author's Note:_ Once again, reviews would be loved. Really. I have this funny feeling that no one cares about my strange little fic here. Love it or hate it, it doesn't matter: just review! Please?


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